A Year Without You
by Sikami
Summary: How does Arthur cope with Francis leaving him? Especially after he says that he loves the Brit as well. My own Long November sequel/epilogue. FRUK.
1. Prelude: Memories

**SO, this is my own sequel/epilogue version of Long November by Gusari. I've had the urge to write it for so long and here it is. I've finally put my pen to paper, although it's more like my fingers to my keyboard.**

 **I actually read through all of the words and sentences in the previous manga a bunch of times since I want this book to be as accurate as much as possible. Just a reminder, Alfred is both a dog and person (Arthur's brother). The dog-named Alfred belongs to Arthur.**

 **This is a one-shot (maybe).**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Arthur**_

"Yeah,"

"I love you too,"

"I'm off," Francis said through the phone before ending the call.

Arthur stood there as his tears slowly fell down his rosy cheeks. He stood and stared at the street ahead of him. This couldn't be it. Francis couldn't just walk out of his life, especially after Arthur finally realized his true feelings and receiving an answer that gave hope and love that seemed to be as a lie. He tightly grasped on the phone before looking back at the screen and calling the French once again.

 _ **ring~ ring~ ring~**_

' _Come on, pick up'_

 _ **ring~ ring~**_

' _Please'_

 _ **ring-**_

" _I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavai-_ "

Arthur ended the call before calling the number over and over again, only to have the same reply from the feminine voice. The cold wind made his tears dry faster as he tried to call just another time. The tears couldn't stop. Arthur couldn't help but cling onto a bit of hope, thinking that the Frenchman might answer his call.

Suddenly, a loud 'woosh' echoed through the city. A plane, just a few hundred feet above his head, flew past the low buildings of London. It became smaller and smaller as it flew farther and farther. The plane had come from the direction of the airport located a few miles from where Arthur stood.

 _That could be his plane...making it's way to Germany_

Arthur cried harder now. His grip tightened on his phone as he let out loud sobs. The cold wind and freezing weather didn't help his cheeks as it grew extra red from his cries. People passed by him, glancing at the young adult who now kneeled at the floor.

He knelt there as he reflected on the past months that Francis' had spent with him. He reflected on the times he'd wake up to a made breakfast with a note written at the back of a photo, when he'd crept into the man's bed seeking comfort as he dealt with his loneliness, when he'd come home to find someone in his house, waiting for him. These were all precious memories now.

The blonde Brit stood up and turned around before walking back to the direction he came from, the tears finally stopping.

* * *

A barking Alfred greeted Arthur at the front door of his home. A gush of wind entered the warm home before Arthur closed the door behind him. He walked inside after taking off his over-coat and black scarf, placing it on the previously empty coat rack beside the front door.

The house was quiet, with the exclusion of the loud and heavy panting of the golden retriever merrily walking around. Arthur stepped into the living room where his dag had waited for him and collapsed on the couch near him. He dug his hands into his face and hair. The tears had dried and left small marks of its existence on the Brit's cheek.

Alfred the dog walked over to him, sensing and noticing his master's quiet and sad mood. He placed his head on the man's lap, as if it was trying to give the man some comfort and relief that he wasn't alone. It was the same routine, ever since the dog had arrived; its sole purpose seemed to be comforting his master, although he wasn't that devoted to him.

Loneliness took over a part of Arthur's life ever since his little brother had left him and had gone to America. Not long afterwards, his friends gave him the golden retriever that somewhat gave him company and maybe lessened his loneliness (at least just a little). Three years after having Alfred (who Arthur named after his little brother), Francis had entered his life and made it brighter, even though the Brit wasn't aware about it back then and only thought of the Frenchman as a nuisance.

The man, who was lonely as well, gave company and life to Arthur's world. Not only did he do that, but he also made the unexperienced Brit fall in love with him. The two lonely people somehow seemed to have found some comfort in each other, with Francis' feelings try to reach Arthur's for the past year they had spent together.

Alfred soon got tired of resting his head on his master's lap and removed himself off of Arthur. He left the living room and soon disappeared through the open kitchen door. The sound of his nails clinking on the partly tiled floor of the next room lightly echoed through out the living room.

Arthur moved back and settled into the couch after his dog had left him be. Maybe Alfred had understood that what Arthur needed was some space, just him and his thoughts while the animal minded it's own business. He briefly gazed outside the closed window near him. The world outside seemed calm and peaceful as winter slowly settled into the English country.

He turned his gaze away before he stared at the ceiling next, only to be nudged by his dog again, this time holding a piece of paper in his mouth. Alfred opened his mouth, revealing the flyer that France had showed him in the past. The young blonde reluctantly took the paper from Alfred before he gazed at it.

At the bottom, in printed letters, the flyer said:

 _Francis Bonnefoy_

 _2009 – 2010_

 _photographs & works_

 _[LONG NOVEMBER]_

 _2010/ -_

 _At ART-Garally London Walla 2F_

Looking back, Arthur had remembered what he had thought when Francis had said that this one-man exhibit had marked the end of his work.

' _Our time's almost up'_

Back then; it seemed quite simple and not too complicated to Arthur. It just meant that they'd have to part ways soon; his feelings didn't seem to have resurfaced yet, nor had it been seen as something so sad in the end.

 _To be continued…_

* * *

 **FINALLY, I'M DONE.**

 **So, what do you think? Was it okay?**

 **Please leave a review! It'll only take you a minute or two and all you have to do is put what you felt or thought of the story. I'd love to hear you opinion, whether it's good of bad.**

 **While I was writing this chapter, I thought that it couldn't just be a one-shot so I've decided on continuing the story by putting it into parts/chapters. I want it to have detail and aim for you, my lovely reader, to have a feel and deeply understand the story or at least give off an image on how deep this story was for me.**

 **If you find any errors, please notify me at once. I'll edit whenever I can and make the story better and more to your liking if you wish.**

 **AND! If you have any ideas or suggestions on what could happen next, please feel free to tell me through the reviews. Thank you!**

 **I plan on updating once a week, not quite clear on which day though.**

 **Please continue to support me since I'd be more encouraged to write more if people were to cheer me on. I wouldn't want to let you down.**

 **Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed,**

 **Till next time loves!**

 **~Sikami**


	2. Memories, Part One

**OMFG. UPDAAAAAAAATE.**

* * *

 _ **Previously**_

 _Back then; it seemed quite simple and not too complicated to Arthur. It just meant that they'd have to part ways soon; his feelings didn't seem to have resurfaced yet, nor had it been seen as something so sad in the end._

* * *

 _ **Arthur**_

Arthur places the flyer down on the coffee table in front of him. He stands up, not bearing to look at the flyer anymore. It faintly smelt like Francis, something Arthur couldn't handle at the moment. The wound was still open; he couldn't handle rubbing some salt on to the wound just yet.

The young Brit stood from his comfortable seat and walked towards the staircase. Alfred seemed to follow him now. He walked past the kitchen door, taking a glance at Alfred who entered the room. Arthur stopped in his tracks and stared at Alfred before scanning the room.

Light yellow wallpapers covered the room. The floor was half tiled while the other half was made out of oak wood. Spices and different types of sauces were placed in a small counter of the kitchen counter. The cupboards ran above the counter, containing different varieties of tea and some snacks. Emerald green eyes soon found its gaze near the stove. There, Arthur saw a tall blond with luscious long curls that fell on his shoulders. He gazed at the figure that then turned around to look at him.

Francis.

A white apron was wrapped around his waist. The long sleeves of his baggy shirt were pulled up. He gave the Brit a grin. It was a beautiful smile that gave you a warm feeling inside. It was something that Arthur overlooked and usually ignored but now he wished the French would return and give him a warm hug and-

Arthur shook his head, putting a stop to his thoughts. He turned around, making his way back to his room; only glancing back to see that Francis' figure was gone. It was only an imagination, a memory of some sort.

* * *

It has been about a week since Francis' departure from London.

Although days had passed, the memories of Francis' in the house were still there. Often seeing an imaginative figure of Francis, Arthur couldn't stop himself from thinking about the man. Because of this, the Brit tried his best not to stay home for too long, taking more of his time walking Alfred and occasionally going to the store, sometimes just to buy a single can of beer.

The memories were strongest whenever he passed by the guest room. Whenever he passed it, he'd always remember the day he saw Francis' standing by the window, looking outside. It was quite the sight (something that Arthur wouldn't ever agree to admit). He thought of how he had seen the man's tall figure in front of him, the blonde locks dangling above his shoulders and the view of how he held his camera and took a picture. Arthur just gazed at him, the moment ending quickly as the French turned around and spotted the Brit by the door. His blue eyes seemed to flicker, as if his mood had suddenly changed and asked the Englishman what he could do for him.

That memory was the one that Arthur constantly remembered. This was, maybe, Arthur's first encounter with the lonely Francis. He only failed to realize it until he kept on seeing the memory repeat itself over and over again in his dreams and the times he'd just daydream and stare into space. But what mostly triggered the memories of Francis was his scent. It lingered in the air of his house up to now, especially in the bed he had slept in.

 _ **Flashback - Two days ago**_

Arthur entered the room with a bundle of bed sheets, attempting to change the covers and clean up the room. He looked around and walked over to the bed, placing the bed sheets on top of it. He walked over to the window as a cold wind blew in and shut it closed. Walking back to the bed, he slowly took a seat at the edge and felt the sheets underneath him. It was cold, especially since the window was left open just a few moments ago.

Sitting there, Arthur remembered the night Francis had embraced him. His strong arms wrapped around his shoulders while his warm hands touched his back. Arthur had entered the room that night, seeking some sort of comfort from another human being. He had wronged Francis earlier, being defensive as he became aware of his feelings. The letter, that was meant to be a written goodbye, turned into a confession of love without him noticing it.

Waking up Francis in the process, Arthur made his way up onto the bed. He stood on top of the awoken man below him, the Brit's knees digging into the mattress. He embraced him, wrapping his arms around the Frenchman's neck, hiding his face onto his shoulder.

"I'm lonely," he whispered.

"I'm lonely," he whispered again, this time, he started shaking. He gripped onto Francis as if he was a scared baby, afraid of the darkness and the loneliness that surrounded him.

"I'm cold," he said before repeating the sentence once again.

That night, he and Francis embraced each other for the very first time. They had made love that felt so sweet yet bitter at the same time. The French pinned down the Englishman bellow him after he realized the man's shaking and the hand that had gripped onto the back of his shirt. Their lips met, feeling rough because they were chapped and not moist.

It was their first kiss.

It was desperate.

There were exchanges of small words, moans, kissing, biting, and sucking that night. Although Arthur couldn't remember all of it, he remembered how the bed had creaked and moved below them, their heated bodies pressed together, possibly providing the warmth that Arthur had yearned for.

It was a night that Arthur wanted to forget, for the pain of remembering was too much for him too handle.

The Brit, who still felt the pain in his chest, lay down on the messy bed and stayed there for the rest of the day. He inhaled the scent of Francis and his beautiful emerald eyes disappeared as he closed his eyelids. A few tears slide down his cheek, trying to remember the burning sensation he had felt under the man's embrace

 _ **End of Flashback**_

Arthur stood by the smoking area in the office building, holding a half finished cigarette in his right hand. He placed it in his mouth and inhaled the awful tasting tobacco before exhaling, the white smoke leaving his mouth and disappearing into the air. He was on his break and was now smoking his third cigarette. If he weren't working, nothing else would distract him from thinking about Francis.

Maybe, if he didn't sleep with Francis that night, things could be different right now. It wouldn't have stopped him from leaving, but maybe they could have spent a little more time together. Maybe he could've given him the letter he had written. Maybe he could've given a proper goodbye.

Thinking back, Arthur wasn't that surprised when he awoke that morning to find the bed empty. Francis' things were gone, excluding the Polaroid photos he had captured. He did say that he had to leave that day. But, he didn't regret it. The night he had slept with the man was something Arthur wanted to forget but couldn't have. It was bitterly treasured instead.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **DONE WITH THE SECOND CHAPTER.**

 **I CAN'T BELIEVE I UPDATED IT SO SOON.**

 **AND I FIND IT REALLY FUNNY THAT I'M WRITING THIS AS IF FRANCIS DIED.**

 **Remember to leave a review, please, for me (-3-)**

 **And I apologize if you're confused with all the remembering and memories. I'll try to fix it as best as I can.**

 **Also, I have decided that updates will be every Friday (starting tomorrow)**

 **Till the next chapter loves, honhonhon**

 **~Sikami**


	3. I'm sorry

Hey loves!

I know that you're disappointed about my hiatus and that you'll soon find out that this isn't a new chapter. I'm really sorry about the wait and that I haven't kept up with my supposed publishing schedule. I'm also sorry to the website since I'm not even supposed to post author notes and stuff like that.

I didn't post this just to give you guys and gals an apology, but also to give out an announcement. Straight to the point, I'll be editing the chapters and plan on completing the whole story first. I've re-read the last two chap. and saw some plot holes and mistakes that results to me making this decision. I'm really sorry on let you down by this.

There hopefully won't be any major plot edits, I just want to add more meat into the story and alter my writing just a little. I **ABSOLUTLEY WILL NOT DISCONTINUE** THIS STORY. NO WAY. I just need some time to edit since all of it was quite rushed. Due to my excitement and inpatient nature, I actually posted the first chapter without even really editing it (just quickly scanning through the words, barely reading anything).

 **For now, the book will undergo editing and re-writing, causing updates to be postponed.**

I won't be taking it down so you can still follow the story if you want to. But **_please_ , _be aware that new chapters won't be coming anytime soon_**.

Thank you for understanding. I just want to improve it and believe me when I say that I want for you to enjoy the story.

Thanks again.

For those who wish to know why I haven't updated recently, please continue on reading. As for those of you who don't want to, you can go ahead and do something else.

Okay, so. The main reason to why I didn't update is because I had camp the following week the second chapter was posted. I was quite stressed really since I had to submit a science (it was a science camp) essay before I was official able to go. My stay in camp was an amazing experience (for those of you who are wondering) and very new to me since it was my first time.

When camp was over, I got back home and was notified that I had to fly out of the city with my relatives for a quick 3-day stay at a fancy island resort somewhere near the edge of the Pacific Ocean. It was fun, especially since I was able to hangout with my cousin (who lived abroad).

After my stay at the island, we headed back to the city and I had to pack my things all over again. This time, I was staying at a very nice hotel in the middle of the business district. It was great and there was free Internet. I brought my laptop but I technically procrastinated and had a writer's block whenever I decided on writing a new chapter (I'm okay now. Got a few ideas on what to write for the story).

My writer's block was actually the reason to why I had to go and review the previous chapters. But anyways, yeah, that's about it I guess.

I'm really sorry though. Sorry for making you feel hopeful and then ended up being disappointed by this 'fake' chapter.

Please continue on supporting me. The reviews and feedbacks I receive really mean a lot. I read all of them. Even if I don't reply to it, I just want you to know that it makes me happy and all giddy inside. I always end up smiling when notified about receiving one. The same goes for the follows and favourites, it's always an enjoyable experience to see that someone was interested enough to follow/favourite the story.

Thank you and I'm sorry again.

Hope you have a wonderful day/evening.

Till next time.

-Sikami


	4. Another Update

Hey. It's me again. More than a year has passed since I've updated and it's been months since I've last touched this story. I would just like to formally announce that I will be moving my story to 'AO3' otherwise known as 'Archive Of Our Own'.

The title will stay the same and so will my username.

Thank you for supporting and waiting this whole time. The story still needs editing and I've also caught a new interest in k-pop, which is why I've been occupied for a while.

For those who've supported me, thank you. See you next time.

-sikami


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